Who is Master Kong Kong?
Su Ziyu had never heard of this person, not knowing his age, gender, or what he did.
At most, from the title "Master," she guessed he might be a legendary reclusive master.
But upon hearing the name, Yang Xiao first froze, then a glint flashed in her eyes.
Was she mistaken?
Otherwise, how could Ziyu see a playful expression in her grandmother's eyes that only a maiden would have?
It made Ziyu mistakenly think that this Master Kong Kong might have been a toy her grandmother casually kicked around when she was young.
Only to have lost it for many years and forgotten she had such a toy!
"Heh heh, come, I'll take you to meet a fun person."
In Ziyu's memory, Yang Xiao, who wouldn't panic even if the sky fell, suddenly leaped from her chair, grabbed Ziyu's hand, and rushed out of the laboratory impatiently.
A fun person?
How fun?
Can I kick him around and play with him?
For some reason, Ziyu suddenly thought of these words as Yang Xiao dragged her along at a brisk pace.
In the reception room Li Xiao specifically used to entertain distinguished guests.
Yang Xiao rushed in and, without even bothering to knock, kicked the door open!
Then.
Ziyu saw three people.
One was Father-in-law Li, beaming with a smile.
One was Aunt Bai Hong, who was pulling someone's beard and scolding, "You old bald! You haven't visited me in so many years! I thought you had forgotten me, your last disciple."
The third person—
Su Ziyu squinted her eyes and saw an old monk in a dirty robe, with a bald head and a flowing white beard.
Although the monk's robe was dirty, and he looked in pain as Bai Hong pulled his beard, it didn't stop him from eating.
He was eating a chicken leg.
Su Ziyu, in her entire life, had never seen someone eat a chicken leg with such an "artistic" aura!
The old monk put the chicken leg into his mouth from the left corner of his lips, and with a sweep of his hand across his mouth, a complete chicken leg bone emerged from the right corner of his lips.
How old was this old monk?
What was his relationship with Father-in-law Li for him to be eating so heartily in the Dragon Lord's reception hall?
Eating a chicken leg and drinking a mouthful of wine!
"I've never met this Master before, how could he have specifically asked for me?"
As Su Ziyu wondered, she saw the old monk's expression change, and he leaped up from the sofa.
Yang Xiao said coldly, "Sit there obediently!"
"Amitabha—"
Master Kong Kong, who was clearly a monk, immediately chanted the Taoist invocation, then slowly sat down, clasping his hands. "Benefactor Yang, it has been many years. You are still beautiful as a flower, with a graceful figure, skin like snow, and eyes like pupils. Every gesture and movement exudes maidenliness. Ah."
The monk was speaking rapidly, showering compliments. Yang Xiao, who was already walking over quickly, raised her hand and slapped him on the back of the head.
"Amitabha!"
Master Kong Kong almost fell onto the table from the slap, then his face filled with anger.
Just as Su Ziyu thought he was about to get angry with Yang Xiao.
She heard him exclaim loudly, "Well hit, well hit!"
Su Ziyu was stunned—
When she came to her senses, she saw the old monk picking up the chicken leg again, raising his wine bottle to clink glasses with Yang Xiao.
Yang Xiao was now beaming, her left foot on the table, clinking glasses with him.
Bai Hong, who had been pulling the old monk's beard, also sensibly stood behind Empress Dowager Xiao, fawningly massaging her shoulders.
"Ziyu, come here. Let me introduce you to this old bald."
Yang Xiao took a sip of wine and said to Su Ziyu, who was still standing at the door.
Alright.
Su Ziyu agreed and was about to step forward when Master Kong Kong looked up.
The moment their eyes met—
For some inexplicable reason, Su Ziyu's heart leaped.
She had never met the old monk before, yet in the instant their eyes met, she saw an indescribable sense of closeness from the depths of his eyes.
Crucially.
Su Ziyu was immediately drawn into the deepest part of the old monk's kind gaze, and quickly melted.
Intimacy.
An indescribable closeness led Ziyu to walk in front of the old monk, bow gracefully, and say, "Ziyu greets the Master."
The old monk looked at Su Ziyu and sighed softly, "Alas, you have finally arrived in Longxu."
Huh?
What do you mean, "I have finally arrived in Longxu?"
Did I not mean to come, or did I finally arrive after enduring countless hardships?
Has this Master been paying attention to me for a long time?
Su Ziyu was startled and looked up.
She saw the old monk stand up, clasp his hands respectfully, and bow to her.
This made Su Ziyu feel somewhat overwhelmed.
After all, the old monk looked at least seventy years old, if not eighty, yet he bowed to her, a junior, with such respect, which made her unable to bear it.
"Sit down, Ziyu."
Li Xiao spoke, "This Master is called Master Kong Kong. Long before your grandmother was young, he, along with Zen Master Wuneng and Monk Laoshi, were known as the Three Great Divine Monks."
Ah?
Su Ziyu was surprised again.
She didn't feel much about whether he was a divine monk or not.
But her grandmother was now over sixty, and she knew this old monk when she was young.
So, how old was this old monk now?
Master Kong Kong could tell what Ziyu was thinking, and he chuckled, "In another two years, this humble monk will be seventy years old."
The age of seventy is referred to as ancient.
Upon hearing the old monk say this, Yang Xiao, Li Xiao, and Bai Hong all pouted.
Master Kong Kong had claimed to be almost seventy years old decades ago.
In reality.
What Ziyu didn't know was that Master Kong Kong's age was a mystery.
There was a saying that whoever could guess Master Kong Kong's true age would not live more than twelve hours after reaching enlightenment.
Therefore.
Master Kong Kong was perpetually 68 years old.
After Ziyu sat down, Yang Xiao asked Master Kong Kong, "Did you come here specifically to see Ziyu?"
Master Kong Kong asked instead of answering, "Benefactor Yang, may this old monk have a private conversation with Benefactor Su?"
Yang Xiao frowned immediately. "Are you keeping me in the dark?"
Master Kong Kong placed one hand over his heart and said softly, "Amitabha."
He no longer said "Amitabha."
When he chanted the Buddhist mantra, it meant he was very serious.
Even Yang Xiao, after her eyebrows rose, put down her wine bottle, and got up to leave the reception room with Li Xiao and Bai Hong.
Su Ziyu suddenly felt nervous.
She didn't know what this old monk, who gave her a strange feeling, wanted to say to her alone.
"Benefactor Su."
The old monk looked at her with kind eyes and said, "Let this humble monk tell you a story."
"Please speak, Master. Ziyu will listen respectfully."
Su Ziyu bowed and said politely in a low voice.
"Do you know the legends of the Yellow Springs Road and the Bridge of Helplessness?"
The old monk looked up and said, gazing out the window, "Legend has it that on both sides of the Yellow Springs Road, there are endless fields of shore flowers. Beneath the Bridge of Helplessness, there are many devoted lovers who, unwilling to forget the past, choose to endure torment to protect their beloved and walk across the bridge."
On the lawn outside the window.
Yang Xiao paced back and forth with her hands behind her back, her brows furrowed.
She really wanted to know what the old monk was saying to Su Ziyu in private.
Especially after Daoist Baiyun Du had personally called her and told her many things.
However, the old monk wouldn't allow her to listen!
This made Yang Xiao, whose curiosity had never diminished, feel very uncomfortable.
Seeing her mother's restlessness, Li Xiao walked over, "Ahem, Mom. Later, you can question Ziyu."
"No."
Yang Xiao shook her head. "Since the old bald doesn't want me to hear, it means I'm not supposed to know, and there's no benefit."
Li Xiao nodded, "Mhm. Oh, right. Old Du from Sijiu Baiyun called you?"
"Yes."
Yang Xiao didn't hide anything. "He said that as long as Ziyu is safe, Qianfan will be well. However, after Qianfan returns this time, he might be upset about the matter in Piaomiao Village. Old Du hopes I won't interfere. Hmph, I will interfere!"
Li Xiao—
Gave a wry smile and looked north, "I wonder how Qianfan is doing now."
How is Li Qianfan doing now?
Although he was still on the snowfield, he could no longer see the swaying Northern Lights.
Moreover, as time passed, the pain in his injured shoulder blade, especially the damaged bone in his calf, was disappearing at an astonishing rate.
He could not only walk on his own but also carry Murong Mingyuan in his arms, walking forward with every step.
Murong Mingyuan's eyes were closed, as if she were asleep. Her face, hidden in Li Qianfan's arms, was very red.
She had a high fever.
In the past few days, Murong Mingyuan, who had already suffered internal injuries from cursing Luo Huayin, had almost exhausted all her strength!
She had relied entirely on the spirit of "Li Qianfan, I want to take you home" to grit her teeth and persevere.
From pulling a snow sled, to carrying him on her back, to kneeling and carrying him, she had walked south for four full days!
Li Qianfan had been in a coma for four days, and he could have covered such a distance because Luo Huayin and others had set off by snowmobile.
Murong Mingyuan, however, was taking Li Qianfan home on foot, or even crawling.
Cough!
Murong Mingyuan, who was in a deep sleep, suddenly coughed and opened her eyes.
Li Qianfan looked down at her, his gaze tender.
"Li Qianfan."
Murong Mingyuan said with vacant eyes and a faint voice, "Am I... going to die?"